Eyewitness news has an update to our investigation into patient abuse allegations at Kern valley Hospital in Mountain Mesa. We have discovered new allegations from a family who says the hospital is to blame for their fathers premature death. This as the hospital remains under a federal investigation.

51-year old Edward Mutual died this past June 3rd from complications of pneumonia and a blood clot. His family says their dad didn't have to die and they want answers from Kern Valley Hospital.

Jennifer Sims and her brother Dwayne Mutual say they did everything they could to try and get their father, 51-year old Ed Mutual transferred out of Kern Valley hospital to a hospital in Bakersfield. "Were not trying to make it a personal attack, we just think if it's a situation that cant be treated there they should transfer immediately," says Sims.

Mutual had been in and out of Kern Valley hospital 2 times within a 2 week period. Both times for pneumonia and a blood clot in his leg. Kern Valley hospital said they were doing exactly what any hospital in Bakersfield would have done.. But Jennifer says he needed advanced care they could not provide.

"I'm mad, i cant say he would have made it but i believe he could have..he was taken from us too early," she says.His last release was May 30th.His final diagnosis listed as pneumonia and pulmonary embolism, which is what his family had feared--the blood clot traveling to his heart and killing him.

He was told to follow-up with a doctor but was sent home still feeling sick. The next morning he was delusional and his leg was still swollen. He went back to Kern Valley in an ambulance. Later that same day he was airlifted to Heart Hospital in Bakersfield. Three days later he died.

"They said he should have been transferred immediately when they found out he had a blood clot," says Sims of what doctors at Heart Hospital told her. The Mutuals don't want this to happen to anyone else. this as they remember who their dad was

" He liked fishing, hunting, embarrassing us was his favorite thing to do, " they say.

Eyewitness News tried to get an explanation from Kern Valley hospital. They said HIPPA privacy laws prevented them from talking with us even though the family had signed a release allowing them to do so.

We called Ross Ellio0t, the Director of Kern County emergency services. He said as long as you have the family's consent for information, a medical agency can't cite HIPPA law. We also looked up similar information about HIPPA on-line.

So we will continue to try and get an explanation from Kern Valley hospital, since HIPPA apparently is not a valid excuse for not talking to us.